The question
New dark silver paint, what should I use?
After the decontamination I've previously used carlack 68 nano sealer and topped it with finishkare p1000 wax but I feel I need to take it to the next level, I'm certainly looking at Gtechniq C5 for the wheels, front bumper and splitter but it's certainly not cheap and funds are shall we say "stretched" so I can't spend hundreds on new products yet.

Plus
A Lot's happened since I've last been around (including a slight mid life crisis 4th item down),

The insignia has gone to a new home
The GT-Four has been used as a daily drive for the past 4 months (Which is tough I know )
The das pro hasn't needed to come out but is due a work out on the better halves R171 slk after I get the colour code paint mix to touch up the stone chips .

And finally my ("£@{k" it, what's the point of going to work) mid life mental moment which happened 11 weeks back when I decided to order a new A45 in mountain grey with aero pack + several other trick bits which I pick up next weekend. Oh, and I'm not selling the Four

Over the past 4 weeks I've been having a mass clear out of the garage (6 years of "it can go in the garage") has finally allowed me to epoxy resin the floor but I still need to sort out some good lighting so I can then spend our miserable winter evening after work detailing a panel or two.

I know this is always a regular question but I have to ask, What's the best protection without PTFE wrapping it as that's way too much money atm?

Cheers for any advice and I'll be ordering the goodies, most hopefully from cyc on Tuesday.

"What's the best protection". If someone could answer that one I would like to know as well .

Some LSP's will work great on one car and not another with regards how long the protection lasts and there is also the question of the number of miles you do and the weather conditions Then there is the "look" you would like to have on the car? A deep gloss wet look like you get from a high end wax or a more glassy look that you get from a sealant?

I'm still looking for the "one" product that fits the bill ...Good luck

I really want the wet look but this was almost impossible with the insignia sovereign silver but the A45 mountain grey is a bit darker but at least it's not black, I have to keep 2 black cars already but it's a nice problem to have though

Work is just 3 miles away but a few weekends will be "fill tank and pick a direction" hopefully

As Ash has just said, it's a subjective choice as to the 'look' you wish to achieve, the amount of time you have available to achieve this, maintain it and how much money you wish to spend.

One thing is for certain, get the prep right beneath the LSP and you'll get a much improved 'look'.

Dark Silver is a lovely colour and really is at the crossroads of the colour spectrum between the 'rule of thumb' of sealants for light and a wax for dark coloured paintwork. So you really need to perform some experimenting, on a test area, to achieve the 'look' you desire. Then apply this formula onto the whole car.

If it were my car, I would apply a couple of layers of sealant and then add an oily/buttery wax over the top.

As for your wheels...as they are a Matt finish, it would be defeating the object by placing a gloss finish to them. The contrast, in my opinion, between the glossy paintwork and the matt wheels is great is eye catching.

@willington
Thanks for the 'rule of thumb' hint, I'm going to try the carlack topped with finishkare p1000 and dodo juice purple haze first. I stopped using the purple haze because it only lasted a few weeks, but I may have been using too much shampoo at the time and stripping it. I'd like to try the Collinite 476s - Super Double Coat Wax but I've spent £30+ on waxes that have been hard to use, I've struggled with iron-x before it stains so I'd hate to get a detergent proof coating wrong. I'm very nervous about the C1 and 2.

There are a couple of 'overkills' in your plans. Slightly changing them will save you some cash....

Ironx...just spray a little (neat) around the wheels, wheel arch panels and front end...this is where you will get most iron-fallout. Undiluted, the chemicals will work to their maximum effect. You may consider aggitating the ironx with a detailing brush. Cooler air and panel temperatures mean that you can leave the ironx on for longer...just don't it dry onto any surface.

IPA/De-ionized water.... I can understand why you want to remove every last trace of wax and sealant that is already on there. However, a mix ratio of 10% IPA/90 is plenty enough.
- After polishing, a ratio of 5:95 is fine.

Thanks willington, I'll use the iron-x neat and after a few minutes agitate, and dilute the IPA more, I was using that neat but it's horrid on the skin neat.

Paid the deposit tonight and feeling the pain.

I've asked the dealer not to detail the car so they are not going to put a polisher on it, they were not funny about it and accepted that they do 20 cars a day which have no chance of coming out with a specialist finish under proper lights, still not sure what state it is in as the car was not in the showroom Friday to see it then on collection. Happy days are coming.

It's highly likely that the car hasn't been machine polished for a very long time. When you perform all the decontamination processes, it will reveal all kinds of imperfections which have been masked. You have a great opportunity to machine polish the new car yourself and then seal in all that lovely work.

or

Seal in the imperfections now, and plan for a major Detail in the Spring.